Hollywood Park to get new mayor again

By William Pack :
March 11, 2014

Hollywood Park's mayoral position has been a whirlwind of change since Mayor William “Bill” Bohlke died on his Atascosa County ranch not two years ago, and the change is continuing.

Chris Fails, a Hollywood Park councilman less than a year into his first term, is the only one still running for the seat on the May 10 ballot after the incumbent, David Ortega, decided against reelection, and Steve Phillips, another councilman who originally filed for the mayor's post, withdrew.

Fails' election would give the city its third mayor since Bohlke's August 2012 death. Bohlke's son-in law, Mark Perry, was appointed to succeed him, but Perry declined to run for office in last year's special election, and Ortega was elected without opposition.

Fails, 39, is a land manager for and oil and gas pipeline company who said his experience on council has been good. He had no desire to run for mayor initially but was recruited to run by so many people, he said, that he felt he had to give it a try.

“I'm definitely ready for the challenge,” he said.

Fails said his focus will be on upgrading city parks and improving city streets, a critical initiative that will need more funding to be properly done.

Ortega, a lawyer, said he would have liked to run again but the demands of his work got too heavy.

Phillips, a councilman since 2011, said he only decided to run for mayor when he heard Ortega would not. Phillips withdrew after filing, however, because of health issues involving his family.